South Florida entrepreneur and trailblazing businesswoman Eloise Gonzalez has led Commercial Interior Contractors (CIC) for 40 years on construction projects for some of this region’s most important and iconic landmarks.
Celebrating the 40th anniversary this month, her company has designed and installed flooring, wall coverings and other interior features at Miami International Airport, Frost Museum of Science, Adrienne Arsht Center, James L. Knight Center, FIU’s School of Hospitality, the main government centers and courthouses in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, sports venues for Miami Heat, Miami Marlins, Florida Panthers and many more public and private structures.
So anyone living or even just visiting South Florida in the past 40 years likely has seen and/or touched CIC’s high-quality work and design.
And to highlight CIC’s longevity and client satisfaction, the company finds itself consistently earning repeat business to update high-use, high-profile interiors that it first installed decades ago. These include current large-scale projects at Miami International Airport and the Miami-Dade County Stephen P. Clark Government Center.
“It’s sentimental and very gratifying to pull up and replace these floors, walls and spaces that served so many millions of people over the years, and to know we’ve earned our clients trust with such a time- and traffic-tested body of work,” says Gonzalez. “And in all these years, we’ve never missed a timeline or budget.”
Yet while today celebrating the anniversary and long-running achievements, CIC has always been a forward-looking company.
Gonzalez was a trailblazer as a Latina founding CIC and starting her own business in the construction industry in 1984 because other companies only would consider women for administrative or secretarial roles at the time.
Today, CIC is skilled in the latest virtual design and 3D rendering technology, and has implemented an advanced sustainability and recycling program.
“Sustainable practices should be a key aspect of every construction project,” says CIC Vice President and Gonzalez’s son Francisco Geller. “Our company is pledged to always use the best methods and locally-sourced recyclable materials to not only serve our community, but help save the planet by lowering our carbon footprint,” says Geller, who joined the company after earning a degree at Columbia University then working in finance in New York City.
CIC is an active partner of CarbonFund.org in the effort to offset carbon emissions and reduce global warming and sea-level rise, which are especially critical to South Florida’s environment, economy and security.
Gonzalez has long supported various civic causes, and has been a member of Entrepreneurs’ Organization South Florida (EO SOFLO) for 25 years. EO SOFLO is one of the world’s largest EO chapters, and works to foster entrepreneurship and overall economic growth in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties. More than 300 EO SOFLO member companies account for more than $3 billion in yearly revenues and 11,000 jobs in the tri-county area.
She credits EO for helping her build and sustain a successful business for so many years, especially the support, collaboration and insight from her EO Forum peers, such as Leonard Goldberg, founder of Gold Aviation.
“It’s an amazing pleasure and honor to have Eloise in our EO group,” says Golberg, incoming EO SOFLO president. “For so many years she’s been a leader in our organization, and her work will continue to make truly tangible impact in our local landmarks and community.”
For more information, visit www.cic-corp.com or www.eosoflo.com.
